Me making a motor hit

[nxtruck]

Gotcha. I think you'll be right in the thick of things with the bigger motor. Sounds cool that you guys can throw your money in the pot and run the "king" and, if everything goes your way, take home the title AND some money.
As far as going to a 400, I'd think that you're better off staying with the 350 block and doing a 396. I'm running a 400 block and I realize that it won't last forever. In my humble opinion, the 350 blocks( especially the 4-bolts ) are a little stronger than the 400 stuff. Probably not a big difference in strength, but when you're spraying, every little bit helps.
Hang tough down there: it sounds like Ike will go further south than where you're at. Hopefully it stays on that course. Stay safe...